Soumya Rajaram, a student of the venerable dance institution Kalakshetra, which is renowned for its adherence to tradition and classicism, and of Smt. Savithri Jagannatha Rao, a veteran of that institution, enthralled the audience with a traditional Bharatanatyam performance at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington on November 3, 2013. 

Soumya began her performance with an Alarippu in Misram (cycle of 7 beats) to the accompaniment of a “Thirupugazh” in Yamunakalyani ragam.  This was followed by the popular Jathiswaram by the Tanjore quartet in Saveri ragam.  Soumya’s execution of the Jathiswaram, which seamlessly blended the adavus with the intricacies of the musical passages, was elegant and streamlined.  Her presentation of the quintessential Sabdam “Aayar Cheriyar” in Ragamaligai depicted Krishna’s mischievousness and the myriad of emotions experienced by the maidens captivated by his mesmerizing flute music with sincerity.  

The Papanasam Sivan Padavarnam “Swami Nee Manam Irangi” in Sriranjani ragam choreographed by Rukmini Devi Arundale that followed provided an expansive scope for Soumya to demonstrate her talent as a refined and nuanced performer. The exquisitely choreographed pure dance sequences (jathis) with rapidly changing pace (nadais) were executed with firm and precise footwork, a testament to her rigorous training. Soumya portrayed the lovelorn woman (Viraha nayika) pining for Muruga maturely that left the audience with a feeling of wholesomeness.

“Netru Andi Nerathile, the Huseni raga Padam followed the Varnam. In this padam by Ganam Krishnayyar, Soumya portrayed the conflicted mindset and feelings of a “Vipralabdha”, who saw her lover with another woman. Soumya expressed the feelings and suffering of “the woman” or nayika deceived by the dalliance of her lover eloquently in a subdued manner.   In the Jaavali “Kopametula” in Kedaragowla ragam by Tanjavur Chinnaya Soumya tastefully portrayed an enraged “Khandita nayika” rebuking her lover for infidelity. The performance concluded with the pièce de résistance, the Tillana, a melodious composition in Madhuvanti ragam by Lalgudi G. Jayaraman and choreographed by the legendary Kalakshetra veteran Leela Samson. Soumya displayed both fluidity and precision in executing the intricate choreography. Her aesthetic presentation of the piece enthralled the audience.  Although the superb quality of the recorded music most definitely enhanced the performance, better stage lighting would have helped the audience to fully appreciate the intricacies and nuances of the abhinaya pieces.

The devotion and passion (shraddha) to the practice of this classical art form that Soumya displayed in her performance provided both a soulful experience and a visual treat for the audience, particularly because it combined adherence to tradition with flawless execution.